Decorated cake



1mm, 1948. T. MCKEE 2,435,047

DECORATED CAKE Filed Oct. 8, 1945 Filip ,IN V EN TOR.

Patented Jan. 27, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE Claims. 1

My invention relates to layer cake decoration, as distinguished fromedible wafer paper decoration, wherein the comparative relationshipbetween the relative size of the decorated edible wafer paper sheet,which I employ, to the comparative size of the surface of the cake, towhich the decorated sheet is attached, together form the fundamentalbasis on which the invention rests, plus important means whicheiiiciently control the laws of nature disclosed in the principle ofexpansion or contraction, after the edible wafer paper sheet is attachedto the frosting on the cakes surface, which unless properly attached andcontrolled results in the formation of air pockets in the underside ofthe wafer paper sheet.

To obtain this efficient control and prevent ruinationof the outersurface of the decorated edible wafer paper sheet is one of the objectsof my invention.

To decorate a layer cake or the like successfully without rst placingfrosting over the surface of the cake to be decorated is not practical.

Therefore after assembling the layers and placing the filling betweenthe layers as usual I cover the surface of the cake to be decorated withplain cream frosting, as I find this type of frosting the best for mypurpose.

To hold the decorated sheet to the frosting on the cake surface, Irequire a means to successfully anchor same. This I provide by makingthe size of the decorated sheet less than the area of the top surface ofthe frosted cake.

This results in the creation of an exposed marginal anchoring ground-al1around the sheet.

To attach and hold the decorated sheet to the frosting I cover a portionof the surface of the sheet adjacent to its periphery and alsosimultaneously cover over the adjacent frosted surface of the cake allaround the sheet, with an ornamental border of frosting therebyattaching the sheet to the cake. .i

The sheet of edible wafer paper is made of any suitable material, suchas from rice or wheat' flour or the like and contains thereon. anornamental design or printed reading matter, which :may be imprintedthereon with an edible ink or reproduced thereon, in any suitable mannerwell known in the graphic arts, it being understood, that all thematerials or ingredients necessary for the printing process, shall be ofa harmless nature. and the surface of the printing type or block or thelike. contacting the sheet shall be of a nature acceptable for themanufacture thereof, under the pure-food laws.

Edible wafer paper is produced in various thicknesses and also differenttypes of surfaces, some forms may be about 2%000 to 2%000 of one inch- 2thick, with however both surfaces the same, smooth with a dull face.

If this type is run through a rotary press it will probably crack orbreak or split, and even if printed on a platen press or flatbed or thelike, and somehow, afterwards attached to a cake, still containsunsurmountable difficulties to make it a practical type for successfulCake decoration.

There are two other grades which I consider practically useless forsuccessful cake decoration, these two grades probably average about1%000 of one inch thick.

In one both surfaces are smooth but dull iinish, while in the other bothsurfaces are very highly polished.

I spent months experimenting with these two last grades, but found thediiiiculties of successfully and definitely attaching them to a cake, sothey would stay put, almost unsurmountable.

Finally I used 1A inch plate glass, placed over the sheet, to try andkeep it flat, and even piled several books on top of the glass in someexperiments none the less, the net result was perhaps say of failuresfrom one cause or another.

In one experiment, in spite of using the plate glass placed over thesheet, to try and attach it to a cake successfully, some four hourslater, after the frosting under the edge of the sheet had dried out theedge of the sheet actually curled up, and this curling of the edgeoccurred so frequently that it was necessary to devise some means topre` vent it. In other instances where the elapsed time was greaterbefore inspection of the results, I found the sheet curled intopractically half a circle and after this had happened several times Irealized the impossibility of attaching the sheet to the cake withoutsome other means to hold the edge down, such as I have invented.

Further, these experiments proved the necessity of providing a denitemeans to attach the sheet to the cake and hold it from above and also atthe edge of the sheet, so that the edge would not curl up.

I found marshmallow quite unsatisfactory as the surface of the sheeteventually was ruine-d by the pulling power of the alburnen.

While if royal icing is used, it must rst be allowed to dry out and alayer of soft filling material, such as plain cream frosting, placedover it, to prevent formation of air pockets between the sheet and theicing.`

In addition to providing means to hold the delicate highly sensitivewafer paper sheet to the cake, I discovered it was imperative to alsouse a certain type of wafer paper. The type which my experiments haveproved most satisfactory is a wafer paper which has two completelydifferent forms of surfaces, one is smooth or at least can be printedon, while the underside thereof has numerous minute indentationsextending My experiments indicate edible, wafer paper, having theunderside smooth or polishedL is not` at all practical because no icingor frosting will successfully adhere to a smooth or polished surrnv faceand remain attached thereto after thefdry ing out process of thefrosting is completed.

Even if bakers fondant is used, whichiislquite:`

sticky, it has other most obje,ctjlionahleffeatures.I

because the moisture will soak through to the outer surface andeventually, when the fondantd-riesl out, result in a smallwave formationon the surface; and futter; ruinatiorrof thefsheet ,fordeeorar tivepurposes.

This is because ther; wafer :paren isfvery; dry, very` soft andAextremely-sensitive -tothe `slightest moistures.

'lhe.eunderside,1 of; the@ waferrnaper. which has the; smallindentationssthereins kwheny.anbietened.to thetonzsurfaeee Ofi'hefrosted callerv lies nests-to theurosting?.thereonr.ATheserileiityeoiihe hin ediblewafenpaper-sheetenebiessitfieeiiehtxlisdmuch better to the surfaceoiftheefrosiinsiihen smooth or polishedsurfaces, hecausegfthegsurfa-ce off-the wtopslayerl ofal layer-cakeNariesAe-pendingronfthegbakenor:the baking Process :orsthe in?gredients, etc. Some bakers cut olf;V undue convexgcurvaturitomaintainge ,attopjor-decora-tive ipurposesgwh-le; againyotherlloalfzers.allow thefconvex--eurvatureiofremaini. Thiszisselso.true of cakesbakedfbythe h-ousewife.-y

These: minute indentations: however haye one disadvantage; that unlessthe; contact/between the underside of the;Y sheet, and; tba frosting;isi exs aretlyrperfeet and -veryclose treublefis -aniftaariee Thesefminuteindentations, unlessfihey arescoez trolled; somehow, ,becomesmall Aair;pocketswhich arefaffeotedxbyeimosnherie temperatures-changes,

from hot', t'ofcold and `vice-versa; Vin other words, oneqiof. the; laws,of vnature, is ,involved vizi, thatof expansion orl contraction, andbecomes-,operative and :itis necessary- -to overcome thisglautfofynaturetozmaintainfa perfect outsidevsurfaeefinthasheet, sogthat thecornpletedcake may-oefhandledgin ,the Various; changes of temperature withoutjthetop surface and ,decoration beingguinedr The; eieets ofV this; law ofnaturesifi the 4sheet isenotq previously` treated to -preventformationofair pockets and also; attached correctly to; the cake, smallairpockets:v will forrn'eventuallyn great temperature changes and;these, will c ause the surface of the-sheet to4 expandvorv-.contract andthe general appearancej therepgrasgitbegcomes uneven orl small wrinkles;or, smalhwaves are formed therein, completely ruins it, sometimes itmayeveniex-tend to splitting or;crediting;` or breaking.openorevenvbulge v ery-1.1 ndi z ly-, and once these irregularities takei placeL they; remain andthe surfacejsutterly ruined.,

I.- disevovered that vegetable shortening. isethe best materialtri/prevent expansion-.1er contraction oflthesheetand itstandsupunder-thejznostv ex,- acting tests of great changes inltemperaturewithout the slightest adverse eiects'accruingg.-

i However-any otherz suitablesoftllingmaterial een he usedy nrevidediitis employed ifi-the .seme wayinwhich I I use vegetable; shorterung,ILfind another.:-4 veryZ suitablellinef materialtiie useof.plaincreamfrosting;`

carrying out; my inventionlcuse vegetable shortening andplace a.yquantity; inmali dabs,

.ahoutsthe size. offa pea,senaratedaieoutlrhiinches apart over theentire area of the sheet on the underside thereof in which the minuteindentations lie, and then rub the vegetable shortening thoroughlyA andcarefullyjntothe various indentationsand alsowiover the renriainder;ofthe indented surface, and afterwards place the indented side of thesheet downwards on top of the layer of plain cream frosting on the cake.

When changes in temperature exceed say about 45 degrees F. I prefer touse slightly more filler especiallyeif the temperature is high such asor, 9,0 degreesklgor, about freezing or below.

In speaking of vegetable shortening, it is naturally.,.oonceivable thatif necessary some edible coloring matter may be'L added, to theshortening verys li-iilei powdered; eeriiedf. eriilijne coeirterdyeswiihoui eifeetinssihe-resuiie tioes-fWhieh-it periorms should therequirements. oifihe artis desiereell-for estintori orjcoloredbeslissende mother worde. rthefaddiiri-.Ofr Siih iiniirianeelorine of,thisingredieni ,may add-.the required depthiiothehaclsgrouodforatleast-.help tosdo., lade xnoi .ihereforerreeiriifreyeeligio whiteivesetelolesshorieeine-forfnieie v. ,.,resiiig-- Oihenobieotsfof@reinvention will hewn-,leans parent in thejollowingfdetaileddescription( Inline aeeompenyina 2 drawing, ,in ,Figures-1,1shomefionfpien View of atelse, deeoreted and arrangedq accordancefwithmy, invention; and having a portion of the icing or frosting removedtodieeioseihefConstruetionsbetier.L

Eigilreaisraeeeton OffEiaureflV iekeaaoirilie IeesAFB. lookiriefrem:ihedireetion -ofihe arrow Referung,v now in detail.; to; the. drawingand moraueiioulerig iaFiepre; 1. I; have-Showithe topfnleriiviewoifaeeke represented by'nueieralfl constructed and arranged inaccordance withmy irufenticml andrmadesof; ams Suitable f ceses'-eredientsweilsknoyvn., to thefericfon leyes-0.1 eimiler cokes.

'lines toa fsurfeoeeoff. the; cake.- is..y frosted: with. e layer ofplain white cream.frpstingwhichhitf will be noiedeontains.nofesewhiie'or-leumenfthe frosting issshowuai.

Oyeri-yinaihevgreater part offtheton-surfeee ofthe.plain,whitezereem-frostine:iefaSheei--Ofedible wafer paper shownat2,..-.th e; sheet. preferably-is flathut.. flexible and, has two:different-l ty-oes; 0f Surfeees the. upper onel suitable.l ae e printingSurface. while. the. underside thereofs may; be rougheaecl. orherepreierably minute miente: tionslihereinitheeeminute indateiions;mekeihe Sheeteziiblef. 'meeneem isimedeffromzediblepreduetsssuehaniram-.riegos wheat 11.011,11- or the-like# and-reeel: tains thereon anornamental designgofanmnature desiredor.nrintedlreadinametter;Which-may. be printed thereon.v with1 non-tonie; ink: ori-14 o ieoedihereonginiiyfQthereiliieblesieermer;Wellfknewn tosthe ,arenhicserisjitbeineuriderei'ood that e511 the materials. ors ingredients necessaryfor' 'the nrintineverooessand eolorinaothelinlelieiibefofaharmlessediblenature,I

In Figure 1; the design or the, likegisepref sentedvby the large letter`Vi shownat 3;A

wines notedjthatgsheee 2J is made smaller 1n sizeit-hathatof-fthetopsurface of th plain WhiteA cream frosting upon which it? restsfthisprinciple=provides1azi-exposed marginal space between the edge of thecake1as at' landithe edge ofothe sheetasshownlati'.-

This? exposed: margin-al' space: or anchoring sgrenndfiis-showuseiai fThe decorated sheet is held to the cake by means of an ornamentalfrosting border shown at li-while dotted lines shown at 1, indicatewhere the border has been removed so that the subject matter may bebetter understood.

Referring to Figure 2, this figure is a section of Figure l, taken onthe line A, B, in Figure 1, looked at from the direction of the arrow C.

The cake layers are shown at 9, while the filling between the layers isshown at I0, a layer of plain white cream frosting is shown at 6.

The two points where the frosting border is cut, is shown at l i-I I insection.

As I stated before, the underside of the sheet contains minuteindentations, to stop the formation of small air pockets in theunderside of the sheet, I rub over the underside of the decorated sheet2, into the indentations 'therein and over the remainder of the indentedsurfacea quantity of vegetable shortening or if desired plain whitecream frosting shown at l2, then I turn the surface of the sheet withthe indentations therein, together with the suitable soft fillingmaterial such as vegetable shortening or plain cream frosting over anddownwards and place the sheet in correct position on top of the layer ofplain cream frosting shown at 6, on top of the cake.

Next I rub my forenger over the outer surface of the decorated sheet 2,and press the sheet 2, against the layer of plain white cream frostingforcing them gently together and at the same time squeeze out all thetrapped air from between `the two surfaces.

To insure that the edge of the sheet 2, does not curl up and becomeloose or detached, I provide an ornamental border li, of any suitablecake frosting composition known to the art, said border d, being ofsufficient width so as to overlap a portion of the sheet 2, and also theexposed marginal space shown at 8, in Figure 1, for example, the areacontained between the dotted line 1, Figure 1, and the peripheral edgeof the plain cream frosting as at I in Figure 1.

In addition to preventing the edge of the sheet 2 from curling up, theornamental frosting border also prevents the formation of any airpockets at the periphery of the sheet and thus stops and prevents eitherexpansion or contraction of the sheet, and ruination of its outersurface.

In the drawing I have shown my invention as utilizing a square shapedcake I, combined with a square shaped sheet 2, but it is to beunderstood that any other shaped cake may be used in combination with asimilarly shaped sheet-provided the relative size of the sheet issmaller than the surface of the cake to be decorated, and it isconceivable if desired that the cake may have one shape while thedecorated sheet has another shape always provided a suitable exposedanchoring ground or marginal space is created between the peripheraledge of the surface of the cake and the periphery of the sheet so thatthe sheet may be anchored and held to the cake from above by means ofthe ornamental border.

While the drawing illustrates the decoration of the top of a cake, it isto be understood my invention contemplates similar decoration of theside or other walls of a cake.

In connection with the drawing, especially Figure 2, and especially thesheet 2, and the soft filling material I2, it has been necessary toenlarge both of these, in the sectional drawing, by making the width ofsame relatively greater in both cases, so each is distinct and separatebut -arranged alongside each other, so they can be illustrated clearlyand distinctly and the matter better understood by doing so.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a cake; a layer of plain cream frosting on a surface of said cake,a decorated edible imperforate wafer paper sheet, which is flexible, andhas two different forms of surfaces, one smooth the other beingroughened; and a soft edible filling material rubbed over the roughenedsurface to prevent formation of air pockets and to prevent expansion orcontraction of said sheet, the roughened side of said sheet overlyingand resting on at least part of said frosted surface.

2. A cake as defined as claim 1 and wherein said other surface of thesheet is provided with very small cavities to receive said soft ediblefilling material.

3. In a cake; a layer of plain cream frosting on a surface of said cake,an edible decorated imperforate wafer paper sheet, which is flexible,and has two different forms of surfaces, one smooth, the other formedwith very small cavities therein; and a soft edible filling materialrubbed over and into said cavities, said sheet overlying and resting onat least' part of said frosting layer, said filler forming means forattaching and holding said sheet to at least part of said frostedsurface and for maintaining said sheet in correct position on said cake.

4. In a cake, a layer of plain cream frosting on a surface of said cake,an edible decorated imperforate wafer paper sheet, which is flexible,and has two different forms of surfaces, one smooth the other havingindentations therein; and an edible soft filling material rubbed overand into said indentations to force out all air pockets therefrom; saidsheet overlying and resting on at least part of said frosting layer;said filler consisting of one edible soft ingredient and said frostinglayer consisting of a mixture of several different edible ingredients.

5. In a cake, a layer of plain cream frosting on a surface of said cake,an edible decorated imperforate wafer paper sheet, which is flexible,and has two different forms of surfaces, one smooth the other formedwith very small cavities therein; and a soft edible lling materialrubbed over and into said very small cavities, to remove all air pocketstherefrom; the under surface of said sheet rests on and over at leastpart of said frosting layer; said sheet being closely attached bypressure to at least part of said frosting layer, thereby combiningtogether the ller in the base of the very small cavities with at leastpart of the frosting layer; the very small cavities and the fillertherein acting as suction cups to hold and secure said sheet to at leastpart of said frosting layer and preventing lateral movement of saidsheet as well as distortion of the upper surface of said sheet.

THOMAS MCKEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES `PATENTS Number Name Date 1,129,406 Langhammer Feb. 23,1915 2,394,322 McKee Feb. 5, 1946

